Breakdown truck.



PATENTED SEPT. 11, 1906.

E. C. WHEELER.

BREAKDOWN TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 14. 1905.

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UNITED STATES rArnNr orrioa.

BREAKDOWN TRUCK.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 11, 1906.

Application filed September 14,1905. Serial No. 278,507.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK C. WHEELER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Montgomery, in the county of Montgomery and State of Alabama, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Breakdown Trucks g and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relatesV to improvements in trucks, and more especially to breakdown trucks `for moving pianos, organs, and other large and heavy articles.

The objects of my invention are to provide a simple truck having means thereon whereby the box, bale, crate, or merchandise cannot slip off the truck until it is released, and so arranged that there is but very little weight thrown upon the operator.

A further object is to provide a truck that can be readily folded up into a very small compass.

Tith these objects in view my invention consists in the construction and combinations o't parts, as hereinafter described and claimed. j

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side elevation of my improved truck, the dotted lines indicating the way in which the same is to be used. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, but with the upper table swung around through an arc of ninety degrees from the position shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is an end view on a smaller scale. Fig. 4 is a side view, enlarged, showing the details of the locking device, and Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of part of one of said locking devices.

a represents the main frame, which is supported on the rockers b, which rockers are attached to the Jframe by means of hinges c, 3, and when in use are supported and stayed by the cross-rods d. On the center of the 'frame a is provided a wheel-track e, in the center of which is a pivot-boltf, on which is mounted the upper table g by means, for example, ot the cross-piece 71., perforated to receive the pivot-bolt This table is provided with casters or rollers "i, adapted to travel on the track e, thus permitting the upper table to be swung around to any desired position on the frame a. Legs are provided to iirmly support the truck, which legs are pivoted on the pins 7c and may be swung up out of the waywhen it is desired to tilt the truck into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, for example. If desired, hooked and detachable braces (not shown) may be used to support the legs in their proper position relative to the frame a, which braces can of course be detached when it is desirable to swing the legs out of a position perpendicular to the frame a.

Z and fm are pairs of blocks movably secured by means of the loops n to the crosspieces o. These cross-pieces are slotted, as Shown at p, for the reception of a guide g, (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4,) which projects upward from a block r, which is provided with a groove in which the loop n engages. The under side of the cross-pieces or bars o are provided with rack-teeth s, and the upper part of the blocks r are provided with correspondingly shaped teeth. The blocks Z, loops n, and blocks 7 constitute a movable locking device adapted to be slipped along one of the cross-pieces o and to be secured in any desired position. For convenience in attaching the loops or links a to the blocks l, these blocks are made in two parts with a groove between themy through which the loop or link passes, these two parts being joined together by means of screws, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4.

The table g is provided with end pieces t, slotted, as shown at u. These end pieces serve as supports for the cross pieces or bars o, which cross-pieces may be adjusted to- Ward or away from each other and held in any desired position by means of screws and nuts o, as shown in Fig. 3. The blocks l and m are so adjusted as to come between the posts on the back of the piano. The crosspieces are spaced apart to correspond with the distance between the cross-piece at the top of the back and the sill at the bottom of the back of the piano, and thus the piano is prevented from slipping when tilted.

In order to get the piano on the truck, the latter is turned up into the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, the blocks Z and m projecting into the spaces between the frame- Work and in rear of the soumling-board of the piano, and then the piano is tilted over backJ ward, its weight being taken on the rockers b and held in position by turning down the legs y', or by simply using checks under the rockers b the truck and piano may be tilted into any desired position and held there. Moreover, by swinging the upper table around IOO f IIO lel to the table a, and the legs also Jfolded upl parallel to the frame a, making a very compact and convenient structure for shipment or storage.

At one end of the truck handles w are provided for the use of the operator.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

l. In a truck, the combination of a Jrame provided with handles, supporting-legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rockers hinged to said frame and arranged to Jfold up underneath the same, and brace-rods for holding said rockers in position when unfolded, substantially as described.

2. In a truck, the combination of a Jframe `provided with handles and a track, supporting-legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rockers hinged to said frame, an upper table pivotally mounted on said frame, and antiriction devices between said table and said track, substantially as described.

3. In a truck, the combination of a frame provided with handles and a track, supporting-legs pivotally mounted on said frame, rockers hinged to said frame, an upper table pivotally mounted on said frame, antifriction devices between said table and said frame, and laterally and longitudinally adjustable blocks mounted on said table near the ends thereof, substantially as described.

4. In a truck, the combination of a frame provided with handles, supporting-legs pivotally mounted on said Jframe, rockers hinged to said frame, and an upper table pivoted to said frame, substantially as described.

5. In a truck, the combination of a frame provided with handles, rockers hinged to' said frame and adapted to fold up underneath the same, brace-rods Jfor holding said rockers in position when unfolded, supporting-legs pivotally mounted on said frame, a circular track on said frame provided with a projecting bolt, an upper table mounted upon said bolt, antifriction-rollers between said table and said track, and laterally `and longitudinally adjustable blocks supported on said table near its ends, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I ailx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

FRANK C. WHEELER. Witnesses DAVID W. W.l FULLER, J. L. HARRIS. 

